Jaravijit siblings plead not guilty in B797m bitcoin case

Jaravijit siblings plead not guilty in B797m bitcoin case

Actor Jiratpisit
Actor Jiratpisit "Boom" Jaravijit, 27, at the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Wednesday when he, his brother and sister entered pleas of not guilty to money-laundering in the 797-million-baht bitcoin fraud case. (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)

Prinya Jaravijit and his younger siblings Supitcha and Jiratpisit on Wednesday entered pleas of not guilty to money-laundering charges arising from the alleged 797-million-baht bitcoin theft from a Finnish investor.

They appeared at the Criminal Court where they were last Wednesday arraigned on charges of collusion and conspiracy to launder money.

Prosecutors accused the three defendants and six accomplices of luring the 21-year-old Finn Aamai Otava Saarimaa into investing with them between June to December last year.

Mr Saarimaa was persuaded to buy shares in Expay Software Co, invest in a Dragon Coin cryptocurrency project of NX Chain Inc, and buy 500 million shares in DNA (2002) Co.

He transferred bitcoins to the group's electronic wallets on several occasions. Later, the group sold digital assets worth 797.41 million baht, which was deposited into their accounts. The investment was not filled as agreed. 

On Oct 6, 2017, Mr Jiratpisit, a 27-year-old TV actor known as "Boom", spent 43 million baht buying land in Chatuchak district of Bangkok.

On Oct 11, 12 and 19 and Nov 29, 2017, his elder brother Prinya, 37, spent 124 million baht buying seven blocks of land in Bangkok's Chatuchak and Din Daeng districts and in Nonthaburi province.

On Dec 6, 2017, Ms Supitcha, 32, spent 8.5 million baht registering the sale of six blocks of land with a right of repurchase in Chatuchak district.

Mr Jiratpisit and Ms Supitcha were arrested in August. They were released on bail of 2 million baht each. Mr Prinya was arrested last month upon his return from the United States after his passport was revoked. He is being held in the Bangkok Remand Prison.

The Criminal Court set Dec 24 for the examination of witness and evidence lists.

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